Editor's note: This week's abbreviated update is designed to help our readers prepare for the Independence Day holiday. We wish you all a safe and happy 4th of July, and we'll be back with a full update next week.

The Disneyland Resort's Independence Day celebration kicked off last night with the first performance of "Disney's Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky" fireworks show. The holiday show continues nightly at 9:30 p.m. through Wednesday, July 4, after which "Magical" returns as the summer fireworks show.

Disney California Adventure began presenting an Independence Day preshow to World of Color on Sunday, and which also runs through July 4.

The Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band returns to Disneyland for three performances on Independence Day, and is the featured band during the Flag Retreat Ceremony at 5:10 p.m. in Town Square. This ceremony is especially well-attended on the Fourth of July holiday, so be sure to arrive early for the best view.

The band performs along the Disneyland Parade Route prior to the 6:15 p.m. performance of Mickey's Soundsational Parade. According to the Disney Parks Blog, the band is also venturing into Frontierland for a concert of "patriotic favorites and Disney medleys" at the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree at 7:15 p.m.

Disneyland's Fantasmic is on the summer schedule, with performances at 9:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. nightly. With the holiday falling mid-week, Disneyland has not officially scheduled a third performance for July 4. As always, park managers may add another performance if park attendance reaches a certain threshold.

Parking is often a problem during the Independence Day holiday, and it is not uncommon for the Mickey and Friends parking structure to reach capacity early in the day. We suggest you try the Toy Story lot south of Katella Avenue on Harbor Boulevard, which offers bus service to the Disneyland Resort and is generally easier to get into, especially for people arriving from south of the resort.

In past years, the Downtown Disney parking lot suspended the standard three-hour grace period and imposed a flat upfront $15 fee for vehicles entering after 6:00 p.m., in an effort to discourage those who would park in Downtown Disney to watch the Disneyland fireworks for free from the esplanade between Disneyland and DCA. We have not yet heard whether the resort plans to do this again this year, but we expect it to. If you have to pay the fee, you should be able to get a refund with a table-service restaurant or AMC movie theater validation.

Though some had speculated that Mickey's Halloween Party would return to Disney California Adventure once the multi-year expansion project was over, Disney has confirmed the after-hours event is return instead to Disneyland park for 2012.

The Disney Parks Blog announced dates and prices last week, but we want to add a few details to help our readers make their plans.

The separate ticketed costume parties at Disneyland is scheduled for September 28; October 2, 5, 9, 12, 15, 19, 23, 26, 29 and 31. Ticket prices range from $46 to $69 depending on the date and when the tickets are purchased, with the peak nights increasing $5 over the 2011 event price.

Additional information is available on the official event website, on the Annual Passholder section of the Disneyland Resort Web site (registration is required to view this content), or by calling (714) 781-4400.

Though Disney announced last week that tickets go on sale to Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders starting July 9, and to the general public on July 16, the official blog did not mention that tickets had already gone on sale to Disney Vacation Club members and Disney Visa cardholders.

Of course, since neither DVC nor Disney Visa have communicated this early purchase offer to their members, the two-week head start seems to be a purely word-of-mouth benefit. DVC members and Disney Visa cardholders can purchase their tickets now by calling (714) 781-4636.

Before you rush out to buy your tickets, you may want to wait for Disney to announce the details of the Happiest Haunts tour. We expect the tours to begin Friday, September 28, and for Disney to again offer the Ultimate Experience package bundling the tour with Mickey Halloween Party event admission. Cast members say more information should be available early this week; we'll post updated information as we get it.

The details of Mickey's Halloween Party are similar to the 2011 event. Event guests receives free parking for one vehicle, and can enter Disneyland up to three hours before the announced start time of the event.

The Halloween Screams fireworks are once again "exclusive" to Mickey's Halloween Party, and Disney will only present the show on event nights. On Saturday and Sunday nights, Disneyland will present an alternate fireworks show.

As with the past events, the park is specially decorated for the parties with costumed characters throughout the park and plenty of trick-or-treating for kids and adults alike. The event Web site says "nearly all Disneyland Park attractions" and some restaurants are open as well and there is live entertainment, craft stations and character meet-and-greet at several locations. All party goers are encouraged to wear costumes, but should keep in mind the following guidelines from Disney:

All event attendees—including adults—may dress in their favorite Halloween costume and must follow these and other guidelines as determined solely by Disney:

Costumes should be child-friendly and may not be obstructive, offensive or violent.

Guests may wear masks. However, masks must not obstruct vision and eyes must be visible at all times.

Guests that dress like Disney Characters may not pose for pictures or sign autographs for other Guests.

Costumes should not drag on the ground.

Costumes should not contain sharp objects, pointed objects or materials that may accidentally strike another Guest.

Costumes should not contain any weapons which resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.

Guests of all ages may only wear costumes to the Mickey's Halloween Party event and during the designated hours prior to the scheduled event for which they have valid tickets. During normal Park operating hours, costumes are only permitted for Guests ages 9 and younger.

Guests that do not adhere to these guidelines may be refused entry into the event unless their costume can be modified to meet the above standards.

We've asked the statisticians at Touring Plans to keep an eye on Radiator Springs Racers Fastpass data so we can share it with you to help plan your next trip to Cars Land. According to their data, distribution of Fastpass tickets for Radiator Springs Racers for the day is usually exhausted around 9:15 a.m. each day, with the earliest 8:58 and the latest around 9:45. It also appears that Fastpass distribution ends later on the Annual Passholder Early Entry days than it does on the days when Magic Morning is offered to hotel guests, a statistic that may surprise you. While Disney has limited the number of passholders who can attend each Early Entry session, all Disneyland Resort hotel guests can attend Magic Morning, and there can be far more people in the park those mornings.

We'll continue to monitor the distribution times over the coming weeks, but if Radiator Springs Racers is on your must-do list, you must make it your first priority of the day.

If you have early entry access to Disney California Adventure, while you are not allowed to get a Fastpass before the park opens to the public, you may get in line for a Fastpass before the park opens to the public. Since readers have reported that Radiator Springs Racers has opened late several times this last week, cutting into the early entry period, we recommend that you visit Luigi's Flying Tires and Mater's Junkyard Jamboree first, then send one member of your party (with all of your park tickets) to get in line for Radiator Springs Racers Fastpass around 7:45, before DCA opens to the public. They'll still have a bit a wait, but this ensures you'll get a Fastpass, and that the return time won't be really late in the day.

If you don't have early entry access to DCA and your schedule is flexible, we recommend that you visit on a Tuesday or Thursday, the two weekdays that feature Annual Passholder Early Entry. Regardless of when you visit, choose between getting to the park at opening to collect a Radiator Springs Racers Fastpass (likely with an evening return time), waiting in the stand-by line, or breaking your party up and going through the Single Rider entrance. Be aware that the Single Rider line closes whenever it gets too long, so you might need to check back if the line is closed when you get there.

Finally, it appears that some cast members have begun enforcing Fastpass return times for Radiator Springs Racers, but we have yet to confirm whether this is an official policy change or just a test. Cast members from other Fastpass rides say they have not been told of any operational change yet.

...It's the second annual California Avocado Week in Downtown Disney, and participating shops and restaurants are offering avocado-themed activities from July 1-7:

Sephora is offering mini-facials and product consultations at its store from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. each day.

Downtown Disney restaurant chefs are offering interactive cooking demonstrations at 5:30 p.m. each night, at the West Side stage in front of the ESPN Zone. There is seating for 100 people, who receive a sample of the item being demonstrated, plus additional standing room to watch the demonstration.

Following the cooking demos, stay for a nightly guacamole contest, where three contestants use provided ingredients to make guacamole. The winner receives a $100 gift card to a participating restaurant in the Downtown Disney District and an $85 California Avocado Gift Pack.

Most of the Downtown Disney restaurants feature menu items made with California avocados.

...RunDisney announced last week that the Tinker Bell Half Marathon was already at 72% of capacity. That number is likely now much higher, so this is possibly your last call to register before the event sells out. The women-focused race is Sunday, January 20, 2013 at the Disneyland Resort.

...MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations is still offering 3-Day Park Hopper Bonus Tickets at the pre-increase price of $224 for adults, $208 for children 3-9, a savings of up to $27 per ticket. Here are the details from their website:

Ticket Rules:

Tickets must be purchased with a Get Away Today hotel package. Combine your discount Disney tickets with our reduced hotel rates and/or free night hotel specials to save the most! All of our vacation packages are bundled with these discount tickets, so you don't have to do anything extra to get these tickets.

The included discount Disney tickets are physical tickets, which allow you to avoid ticketing booth wait times. Just take your tickets and go straight through the turnstile.

These tickets must be treated like cash and are not replaceable if lost or stolen.

These tickets are valid through December 31, 2012 and are non-refundable.

These tickets are currently not available for travel within five days.

Adult tickets are $224 and child (ages 3-9) tickets are $208. This is a savings of $26 for an adult and $27 for a child.

…The MousePlanet Newsletter is here! The newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips about what's happening at the Disney theme parks for the coming weekend. We'll also include a fun MouseAdventure bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, go to the MousePlanet main page and enter your email address in the top right box labeled "Join the MousePlanet Newsletter." Click Join, then fill out the fields in the registration page, including your first and last name. The Newsletter is free, but you must complete this registration to receive it, even if you may have signed up for one with us in the past.

…Visitors planning trips to the Disneyland Resort should make a point to check the Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures section each week for the most recent updates. The Disneyland Resort Web site currently only publishes refurbishment information about six weeks in advance. Be sure to check the most recent Park Update (link) for the latest changes, as MousePlanet does not edit past Park Updates to reflect changes.

Crowd information and forecasts are provided by TouringPlans.com, the website of the Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, to help you better plan your trip to the Disneyland Resort. TouringPlans.com gathers wait time data from a team of in-park researchers and users of their Lines mobile phone application, and then predicts crowd levels for the next 365 days. Using a scale from 1 to 10, TouringPlans.com has a 90 percent accuracy of predicting the crowds to within 1 point, helping visitors prepare for their trips so they can "Do more. Wait less."

SoCal Annual Passholders are now blocked out for summer, but summer tourists take their places to keep crowds high. TouringPlans.com can help you navigate the crowds with our per-park Crowd Calendar, Lines - Mobile Wait Times App that gives access to current and estimated wait times for attractions, and Touring Plans detailing the best plan of attack for hitting the attractions. Now that school is out, it's a good time to subscribe to TouringPlans.com to plan your strategy to avoid the crowds!

Below are the predicted resort-wide crowd numbers for select days generated by the TouringPlans professional statisticians as measured for the upcoming week. For the access to the full year and per-park crowd level predictions, visit our Crowd Calendar.

Date

Overall

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

10 / 10

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

10 / 10

Thursday, July 5, 2012

10 / 10

Friday, July 6, 2012

10 / 10

Here are some quick-hit notes that we hope you'll find helpful as you prepare your visits for the week:

Southern California Annual Passports are now blocked out through August 19.

Full blockouts on Independence Day.

Waits at the FASTPASS machines for Radiator Springs Racers (located near It's Tough to Be a Bug) have been as long as 45 minutes at official park opening.

Due to its incredibly low capacity, consider riding Luigi's Flying Tires standby right after starting your day by grabbing a FASTPASS for Radiator Springs Racers.

Come CHOC Walk with Team MousePlanet

Team MousePlanet is back for our fifth year at the CHOC Walk in the Park, benefiting Children's Hospital Orange County. Thanks to the efforts and generosity of our readers, Team MousePlanet has raised over $27,000 for CHOC since 2008. The 2012 race is Sunday, October 14 at the Disneyland Resort. Registration is now open—visit the CHOC website to join us! You can also visit our MousePad discussion forum for more information about the walk and our team.

Volunteer with Team MousePlanet at the Disneyland Half Marathon

Team MousePlanet is looking to form a group to volunteer during the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, August 30 to September 2, 2012. Non-runners are welcome. Visit our MousePad discussion forum for additional information.

Check here to see if a large convention, competition or park event might fall during your next trip to the Disneyland Resort. If you know of any in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

2012

Summer

Destination D: 75 Years of Disney Animation – August 11 and 12. This D23 event returns to the Disneyland Resort in 2012. Additional details and registration information at www.Disney.com/D23.

5th Annual Taste of Downtown Disney – Thursday, August 16. This annual fundraiser for Children's Hospital Orange County includes appetizers and wine tasting at several participating Downtown Disney restaurants. Registration is not yet open, check back for additional details.

Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland – September 28; October 2, 5, 9, 12, 15, 19, 23, 26, 29 and 31. Advance-purchase tickets now are on sale to Disney Vacation Club members and Disney Visa Cardholders by calling 714-781-4636. Tickets go on sale to Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders on July 9, and to the general public on July 16 via Disneyland.com or by calling (714) 781–4000.

CHOC Walk in the Park – Sunday October 14. The annual fundraiser for Children's Hospital Orange County takes place before park hours in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. The Magic Morning normally scheduled for Sunday at Disneyland will likely be rescheduled to Monday, October 15, and Disneyland will likely open at 9 a.m. to accommodate the event. Team MousePlanet is back for our 5th year, and we welcome new members - visit the CHOC website to join us! You can also visit our MousePad discussion forum

for more information about the walk and our team.

2013

2013 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – January 18–20. Registration is now open and filling up fast.

Grad Nite events – this party for high school seniors graduating in 2013 will be held on 22 dates in 2013: May 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31
June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21. The 2013 event includes admission to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure during regular operating hours, and a private party in Disneyland after the park closes to the public for the night.

We also recommend checking the convention calendar at the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau website (link). When looking at that site, remember to note both the number of people and the number of rooms resulting from each convention. A gathering of 25,000 people booking few room nights (indicating most will be driving in to the area for their meeting) can impact traffic around the resort much more than a crowd of 25,000 staying in area hotels. Of course, that second group is going to make finding a hotel room more difficult (and possibly more expensive), so it's best to book your own room as early as possible if you see that a big convention is in town during your trip.

Disneyland prices as of May 20, 2012.

Several current promotions offer discounted admission to the Disneyland Resort. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the number of days the tickets are valid. Check out the category that best matches the amount of time you plan to spend at the resort, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!

This first section is a list of discounts on ticket–only purchases. Though it has become more common in recent years, Disneyland tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Southern California or Northern Mexico. For residents outside that area, the best discounts available tend to be simple advance purchase discounts.

If you know of any additional discounts, offers, promotions, or contests that should be listed in this section, drop us a line. Note, we are no longer listing offers from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, as their convenience fee negates any savings.

One Day, One Park Ticket – Regularly $87/$81

One Day Park Hopper – Regularly $125/$119

No discounts currently available to the general public.

Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.

Two Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $170/$158

Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $200/$188

No discounts currently available to the general public.

Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.

Three Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $220/$205

Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $250/$235

Get Away Today Vacations offer – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations has a very limited quantity of 3-Day Park Hopper Bonus Tickets at the pre-increase price of $224 for adults, $208 for children 3-9, a savings of up to $27 per ticket. Here are the details from their website:

Ticket Rules:

Tickets must be purchased with a Get Away Today hotel package. Combine your discount Disney tickets with our reduced hotel rates and/or free night hotel specials to save the most! All of our vacation packages are bundled with these discount tickets, so you don't have to do anything extra to get these tickets.

The included discount Disney tickets are PHYSICAL tickets, which allow you to avoid ticketing booth wait times. Just take your tickets and go straight through the turnstile!

These tickets must be treated like cash and are not replaceable if lost or stolen.

These tickets are valid through December 31, 2012 and are NON-refundable.

These tickets are currently not available for travel within five days.

Adult tickets are $224 and child (ages 3-9) tickets are $208. This is a savings of $26 for an adult and $27 for a child!

Disney Military Promotional 3–Day Park Hopper Ticket ($95) – A discounted price offered to active or retired U.S. military personnel or their spouses. Based on past offers, Disney defines "Eligible Service Members" as active or retired members of the US military, including active members of the National Guard or Reservists and active or retired members of the US Coast Guard. This discount is available at MWR/ITT offices at your military base, or at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Valid military ID is required. The price is the same for adults and children, and total of six tickets may be purchased per military member, regardless of who purchases the tickets (the member or their spouse). Tickets must be purchased by Sept 30, 2012. The ticket has the following blockout date: July 4, 2012.

As far as we can tell, there is no "fuse" on this ticket, so you may have more than the standard 13 days from first use to use the remaining two admissions, but we highly recommend you contact your base MWR/ITT office for more details before making travel plans. Please note that this ticket is not a "bonus" ticket, and so does not include an early admission day.

Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them.

Four Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $245/$225

Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $275/$255

No discounts currently available to the general public.

Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.

Five Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $260/$240

Five Day Park Hopper – Regularly $290/$270

No discounts currently available to the general public.

Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.

Six Day, One Park per Day Ticket

Six Day Park Hopper

No longer offered by Disneyland. Some travel providers may offer 6-day or longer tickets to international customers as part of a package; residents of Canada, Australia or the UK should check with local travel agencies to see what options may be available to you.

Disneyland Resort Annual Passports

No discounts currently available for new purchases. California residents can take advantage of the monthly–payment plan when purchasing any but the Premier Annual Passport.

Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them.

Southern California CityPass
$279/$239

Southern California CityPass PLUS
$311/$263

2012 Southern California CityPass ($279/$239) – This pass includes a 3–Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early–entry day), a one–day admission to Sea World San Diego and a one-day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood. The CityPass expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by December 31, 2012. Purchase CityPass through the Disneyland Website or on–site at the ticket booths of Disneyland Resort or the other theme parks included in the pass. You can also purchase directly from the CityPass Website, though a shipping charge may apply depending on how quickly you need the ticket.

2012 Southern California CityPass PLUS ($311/$263) – This pass includes a 3–Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early–entry day), a one–day admission to Sea World San Diego and a one-day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood, PLUS one–day admission to either San Diego Zoo or San Diego Safari Park. The CityPass expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by December 31, 2012. This upgraded pass is only available for purchase directly from the CityPass Website.

Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them.

Hotel/Travel Packages

Costco Travel Packages – Many different travel packages including visits to Disneyland and Disneyland hotels are available through Costco. When purchasing a Costco Disneyland travel package, extras that will be included are: Mickey's Toontown Madness admission (currently available Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturdays), a character breakfast collectible pin and lanyard, and a Costco luggage tag per person, plus a $20 Disneyland Resort gift card per package.

Disney's Resort Magic and Good Neighbor Magic Packages – Package includes accommodations one of the three resort hotels or at one of 40 Good Neighbor hotels; Souvenir Park Hopper ticket with voucher for admission to Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness, plus one Magic Morning (early entry) for three–day or longer Park Hoppers; preferred seating at three DCA attractions (Disney's Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, Muppet*Vision 3D, It's Tough to be a Bug!); Preferred Showing of Turtle Talk with Crush (Priority Viewing at the first Turtle Talk with Crush show of the day, on any one day – one voucher per Guest); Disney Dream coin keepsake (one per package), luggage tag and lanyard with pin; a Downtown Disney Fun Card; and a "Character Call" from Mickey, Minnie, Goofy or Crush. Contact Disney Travel or your favorite travel agent.

Contact a MousePlanet sponsor travel agency for assistance in booking your next trip

Character Dining Vouchers – Discounted character dining vouchers are available for purchase online, in advance of your trip, through Get Away Travel.

Disney Visa – Cardholders have access to a private Character Meet 'N' Greet photo opportunity at Disney California Adventure, and receive one free 5x7 photograph per visit. Cardholders also receive 10% off qualifying merchandise purchases of $50 or more from Disney–operated retail stores, 10% off at selected Disneyland Resort restaurants, (Big Thunder Ranch, River Belle Terrace, French Market, Cocina Cucamonga, Steakhouse 55, PCH Grill and Storyteller's Café), and 20% off the "Welcome to Disneyland," "A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps," and "Discover the Magic" guided tours. See the Disney Visa website for terms and conditions.

Landry's Select Club – Members of the Landry's Select Club get priority seating at the Rainforest Cafe when available (which makes a huge difference on busy days), and a 10% discount on retail purchases. This club replaces the former Rainforest Cafe Safari Club as of March 31, 2012. If you are already a Safari Club member, you can migrate your membership to the new Landry's Select Club at no charge, and start to earn points in the new program. All Safari Club points and benefits expire on March 31, so if you have any gift certificates left to redeem, you have just a week to do so. The new Select Club eliminated the entree discount and free appetizer offer that was included with the Safari Club, replacing them with a point–based system that gives you a $25 gift certificate after you spend $250. If you are not yet a member of either the Safari Club or the Landry's Select Club, you can pre–purchase your membership before your trip. Membership now costs $25, but comes with a $25 reward.

ESPNZone MVP Club – Membership in the MVP Club does not offer any discounts on food. However, once a member you can make an online reservation for your party up to three days in advance and will get a 25% increase in points purchased when playing games in the Sports Arena (and 40 bonus points at activation). You must register online and your membership card will then be mailed to you within two weeks. The card must then be activated at any ESPNZone by the person who signed up for the card and ID will be required (link).

Visit our Annual Passholders Blockout Dates page to see more dates. You can see future calendar schedules at Disneyland. As always, specifics are subject to change without notice (or occasionally, without us noticing) so when information conflicts between what is presented here and that presented by Disney, it is best to assume Disney's information is correct.

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MousePlanet is your independent consumer guide to Disney travel and vacations, covering Disneyland, Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line. Look to MousePlanet for daily news, weekly theme park updates, and detailed travel and resort guides for your favorite Disney destinations. As with any endeavor of this size and complexity, we couldn't hope to succeed without the assistance of our readers. We encourage you to submit news, updates and feedback from your Disney travels.

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MousePlanet is not associated in any official way with the Walt Disney Company, its subsidiaries. or its affiliates. The official Disney site is available at www.disney.com. This MousePlanet Web site provides independent news articles, commentary, editorials, reviews. and guides about the Walt Disney Co. All information on this site is subject to change. Please contact destinations in advance to confirm the most up-to-date information.